President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced 20 new resorts will be opened this year.
Delivering the presidential address, President Solih said the 20 new resorts would increase the bed capacity to over 47,000. He said the administration aims to attract around 1.5 million tourists to Maldives this year and aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals to 2.5 million per year by the end of the presidential term.
The president said marketing campaigns are underway to further enhance Maldives' exposure in foreign markets.
The president announced this year an initiative to capitalise on the distinct features of each atoll would be launched. He said tourist destinations will be developed and divided into zones, with marketing strategies focused on informing tourists of the singularity of these zones, allowing for tourism to flourish across the country from North to South.
Statistics show tourist arrivals stood at 1.4 million by the end of 2018. At year-end, Maldives had 145 resorts and 521 guesthouses, boasting a bed capacity of 44,800.